


Differences

by Yulecogs



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canonical Abuse, Canonical Child Abuse, Caryl, Dixon mouth, Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, Nice Merle Dixon, POV Carol Peletier, Parallels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 23:19:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10372071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yulecogs/pseuds/Yulecogs
Summary: The differences in how Ed and Daryl react to the little things in life.





	1. Sitting

Sitting 

Ed 

We had packed up three camp chairs when we ran from the house. Two adult ones and one for Sophia. During one of Ed's rampages he managed to push me over one of the chairs and break it. It didn't matter that he had done it, I knew that from then on I wouldn't be having a chair. Even after a beating and a hard days work, I'd still lower myself to the damp ground to eat.  
“Mama you can have my chair.” Sophia said one evening, when my sides were aching from a beating and the thought of sitting back down and then standing back up made me wince.  
“No sweetheart.” I smiled, “But thank you for offering.”  
“What's that meant to mean?” Ed snapped, and I flinched,  
“Nothing, I was just being polite.”  
“Do you think you should be sitting in my seat?” Ed growled, “You are a fucking woman! I am the head of this family? I'm the breadwinner!”  
Inside my head, in the tiny bit of me that he hadn't beaten I argued with him. I said that he may well have been the breadwinner before the turn. However, nowadays, I do all of the work. I'm sure that if I wasn't here Ed would have been kicked out. I cook and clean whilst he does nothing.  
He grabbed my hair and knocked my bowl of stew to the ground.  
“There, now you don't have to worry about where you are going to sit to eat.” He growled.  
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sophia look into her empty bowl in horror.  
“I've sorted the problem for you bitch.”  
“Ed, shush, please. People are going to see!” I pleaded, I don't think I could have stood the looks of pity.  
“No one will help you bitch. They all hate you. They all know they'd be better off without you. Everyone thinks that. Fucking useless bitch.” He threw me to the floor and I landed too close to the fire and burnt my arm. “Probably best you didn't eat it, I'm stuck with the only fat woman at the end of the world, and you made it, so it tastes like shit anyway.”  
I jumped up and Sophia followed me as I took the three empty bowls to be cleaned. I quickly dipped my arm into the cool water, soothing the burn.  
“Mama I’m so sorry.” Sophia whispered, I could see she had tears in her eyes, “I didn't mean to start anything and I finished mine to quickly and...”  
“Phia.” I laughed, “Don't be silly. Of course it isn't your fault.”  
“But I set him...”  
“If it wasn't that, it would have been something else.” I sighed,  
Lori walked past carefully avoiding my eyes, “Lori,” I cried out and she jumped, “Is Sophia ok to have a sleepover with Carl tonight?”  
She must have seen the pleading in my eyes, “Oh of course Carol, I’m sure Carl would love that.”  
When she walked off Sophia grabbed my hand, “Mama, please don't send me away, he'll hurt you.”  
“But he won't hurt you. I'll be fine Phia.” 

 

Daryl, 

“The fuck y'doin down there woman?”  
I jump as Daryl does that thing where he just appears out of nowhere. He looks down at where I’m sitting on the ground with my bowl of stew. I suddenly feel nervous.  
“Sorry,” I say, “I didn't...I mean I should have realised that you wanted to be alone.”  
The thing with Daryl and I is still pretty new. Ever since I flung myself at him when he returned with Sophia. She is having a sleepover with Beth tonight so I thought I would join him in his camp for dinner. Obviously, that was a bad move. I quickly jump to my feet and go to leave, my face burning red. I am stopped by an arm around my waist.  
“That's not what I meant! Woman! I always want to be with you.”  
“Oh,” I say, turning to face him, and placing a kiss on his cheek before I move away and resume my place back on the ground, motioning towards the chair with my head as I do, “Sophia is sleeping in the house with Beth, I thought you might like some company.”  
“And I always do, from you at least.” He smiles that smile that is purely for me, “But, I repeat my question, what are y'doin down there?”  
“I'm eating.” I say, feeling confused, “It's easier to do that sitting down.”  
“But why are you on the ground?”  
“Cos you only have one chair.” I say still feeling confused, “Sit down, will you? Your food'll get cold.”  
“Woman!” He says exasperatedly, “What kind of a man would I be if I sat in a chair while my woman sat on the ground?”  
My ex-husband. Luckily, I realise before I speak how insulting that would be to Daryl. Instead I stutter out,  
“But...But it's your chair.”  
“And you're my woman!” He says with an eye roll. “I ain't having you sitting at my feet like a fuckin' dog. I know I don't look it, but I’m a gentleman. Men offer women their seats.”  
I scoff, thinking back many years to the last time someone offered their seat up to me.  
“Oh, thank you. Well. I'm already wet now. Next time I promise.” I say, smiling that he is being so thoughtful,  
“Woman! Will y'just get up and sit in the damn seat?”  
“What?” I say with a laugh,  
“Get up. And sit. In the damn. Chair!” He says, heaving another exasperated sigh,  
“Ok, ok.” I laugh, getting up and sitting on the chair, he grunts with a nod, and sits down next to me on the floor. I pull his hair so that he looks up at me and I lean down to kiss him. “I love you y'know?”  
He smiles, “I love you too, Carol.”


	2. Sophia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealing with Sophia.

Sophia 

Ed

“The fuck is this mess!” Ed yells, looking around the camp site. I sigh and start to pick up Sophia's clothes, “Get it cleaned up. This is fucking ridiculous! How one fucking child make so much mess?”  
“Ed I’m sorry.” I whisper, “She's just a child. She's not thinking about being clean she is scared.”  
“I don't fucking care if she is scared. You were meant to bring her up with standards! She was meant to learn how to clean! She'll end up being as useless as you. Go and get her! She needs to clean up.”  
“She's playing with the other children.” I say, I’m not going to ruin her fun. She has never had enough of it.  
“She has chores to do! And she needs to learn her place. This is all about discipline. If she hadn't have made this mess, she would be able to play.”  
“She can clean it up when she is finished. It's not too bad!”  
Ed grabs my arm tight and pulls me close. “I told you to go and get her now woman! Don't make me go and get her myself.”  
I sigh and make my way over to where the children are playing, my heart stops when I don't see Sophia. I look around frantically, where is she?  
I breathe a sigh of relief as I hear her musical laugh, then I sigh when I realise she is over in the Dixon's camp again. I walk over there.  
“Sophia!” I yell, and I see her flinch as I walk over. She looks over from where she is playing chess with Merle,  
“Hi Mama.” She smiles,  
“How many times have I told you not to bother Daryl and Merle! I'm so sorry gentlemen.”  
Sophia pouts, “I know Mama, but we finished with lessons and I saw that Merle looked bored and needed his ass whoppin!”  
“Sophia Peletier! Apologise!”  
“Sorry Merle.” Sophia says,  
“Just for that.” Merle laughs, “I'm gonna whoop your butt extra hard!”  
Daryl laughs, as he walks to my side, “Don't worry about it. She's the only one in the camp not scared of Merle. Honestly, we don't mind having her. I mean I get it if you don't want her over here and we'll play up to that if you want, but if you are genuinely worried about her annoying us, don't she ain't.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Positive.” He shrugs, “Did you need anything Mrs Peletier?”  
“Oh please, call me Carol. I actually just wanted my daughter to come and clean up the mess she has made at our camp. But I suppose I can wait until she has finished her ass whoopin.”  
Daryl smiles at me, then moves away to start skinning a squirrel he has caught,  
“May I sit?” I ask, and move opposite him to when he grunts, he keeps glancing up at me,  
“I'm sorry?” I say, it's my go to answer, “I can leave if I am bothering you?”  
“Nah, I was just wondering, you want some bruise cream for your eye?”  
My blood runs cold, and I automatically reach for my bruised eye socket, living in close quarters has not calmed Ed's temper. As he keeps reminding me, there are no more policemen, so no one would help me anyway.  
“Not worth wasting your resources on something he'd just redo.”  
His eyebrows raise, “Thought you'd come up with some excuse.”  
“What's the point? We've bigger things to worry about in this new world.”  
“We're here if you ever need us. You or Phia.” He doesn't even look up at us when he says it, but I smile anyway. The nickname he's given my daughter warms my heart, he cares about her.  
“Mama! I won!” I jump as I hear Sophia yell, Daryl rolls his eyes which I think means that Merle must have let her win.  
“Well done sweetheart.” I say, laughing as she spins round in a circle,  
“Nothing like a sore winner hey Little Brother?” Merle says, then he turns into his pack, he rummages in it for a while and then pulls something out,  
“Here Peach, for your prize.” He tosses something to her, and she freezes,  
“But I never give you anything when you win.” She says,  
“Well, I’m just a nicer person than you ain't I?” He laughs, “Don't worry about it Phia, it's not a surprise when I win.”  
“Thank you Merle.” She says throwing her arms round him. “It's lovely.”  
“It's nothin'” He says with a blush,  
“Look Mama.” She says, showing me a little carved wooden horse in the palm of her hands.  
“Oh Merle it's lovely.” I say, “You're so kind.”  
“Nah, I ain't woman, don't go spreading that around.” He says, disappearing into his tent.  
Sophia laughs and packs up the chess board, she puts it in Merle's pack and comes over to me.  
“Now Sophia, look at you clearing up someone else's camp whilst your own is in a mess, go on.”  
“Ok Mama.” She smiles, “Bye Daryl, bye Merle! Thank you both for having me!”  
I smile as she runs off to where our own tent is patched. She runs up to Ed, who is lounging on a chair with a cigarette and a beer, excitedly.  
“Dad, look what I have?” She says, “Here!”  
“I'll show you what you have!” He snaps, “A damn mess is what you have? Look at the state of this place! I know you and your mother act like pigs but I don't want to live like one. Get this place clean!”  
Sophia's happy bouncing mood disappears. Her, Dixon born, happiness vanishes, “I'm sorry Sir, I’ll get on it now.” She whispers,  
“Should have been on it already!” He says, “Where the hell were you?”  
“I was in school Sir.” She whispers,  
“What's the point in school? We'll all be ripped apart by those monsters soon enough.”  
“Ed!” I snap,  
“Don't you yell at me woman!” He snaps, “Who's gonna protect a little girl when the monsters attack. You can't help and you are extra trouble, they'll be glad to get rid of you.”  
“Ed, don't you tell Sophia that!” I say,  
“And don't you answer back to me!” He yells smacking me hard across the face, I grab my cheek as I stumble to stay upright. “You both need to learn to control your mouths. I am trying to relax and already I am having to stay in this sty and then you both come and annoy me all day. Trying to see what shit you find in the wood. You should be here and keeping this place clean.”  
“I'm sorry Sir.” Sophia says, her hands are full of clothes, she puts them in the basket and then turns to start washing the cutlery. “I shouldn't have bothered you.”  
“No you shouldn't have!” He yells, “The world has a way of getting rid of annoying children these days. Don't be a bother!”  
“I won't be I’m sorry.”  
He rounds on her, “Go on then, what was so important? What was so ridiculously important that you had to interrupt me?”  
Her hand curls tightly around the horse in her palm. “It was nothing Sir.” She whispers, moving to the washing basin, he grabs her shoulder and yanks her back.  
“So you were interrupting me for nothing? That's how useless you are?”  
“No. I just...It's not important.” She says,  
“Ed, leave her be.” I whisper, trying to step in,  
He grabs her wrist and twists it round, forcing her to open her palm and reveal her wooden treasure.  
“This? This little piece of shit was more important than me? I am the only thing stopping you from dying out there and you think this scrap of rubbish is more important.”  
He tips her hand over and when her fingers scramble to close, she bends her fingers back roughly, Sophia watches open-mouthed as her new prize tumbles into the fire. Ed holds her hands above the flame,  
“Remember Sophia you decided to do this. It was your decision to be an annoying little brat so you choose to be punish-”  
He is cut off as an arrow whizzes past his ear, I notice that instead of pushing his daughter away, he jumps and pulls her towards the danger,  
“Shit! Sorry.” Merle's voice appears as he steps into the light, “There was a squirrel behind ya man! I didn't realise how close you were, I didn't get ya did I? Phia, Carl is looking for you.”  
Sophia looks between us all, looking terrified,  
“Go on sweetheart,” I whisper, “Don't keep Carl waiting,”  
“No, she wants to keep her daddy company tonight don't you Sophia?” Ed says, his awful wandering eyes looking her up and down.  
“Nah, you wanna be with the other kids right Phia, I’ll walk you over there. Come on.” Merle reaches out for her hand and I have never been so grateful for him. Sophia tuns to look at me,  
“Go on love, I’ll see you in the morning.”  
She takes Merle's hands and walks away, looking back at me with sad eyes.  
I take a deep breath and turn towards my husband, to my fate. 

 

Daryl 

 

I smile at the soft sounds of Sophia and Beth upstairs, they are sorting out Beth's old clothes to see what might fit Sophia. I know that she feels freer not having to worry about what her father might think. He used to always check her clothes. Mine too. I have the burns on my arms and chest to remind me about being sluttish.  
“Mama!” Sophia says, walking down the stairs, her hair is in mad little plaits, tied with bows and ribbons and she has children's make up on. Bright pink lipstick and blue and green eye shadow. She has painted nails, each one a different colour.  
My heart stops on instinct. Ed is going to kill her! I can't wear make up never mind her! Then my heart slowly settles down when I remember that I put an axe through his head months ago. Now I have Daryl.  
“Well don't you look pretty!” I laugh, “Beth was ok with you using this right?”  
“Beth did it for me!” She smiles, “And I did hers too.”  
She holds up her wrist, there is a children's charm bracelet on it, little horses dangling off the bracelet and glittering as she moves.  
“Look what she gave me! We are best friends now!”  
“That is lovely Sophia. I like your nails too!”  
“Aren't they pretty, dad never used to let me paint my nails.” She gasps and looks up, “Daryl won't mind will he?”  
“Sweetheart,” I sigh, “Daryl won't care. He isn't like Ed, he's not going to hurt you. Look at all that he's done to protect you. He almost died for you, twice.”  
“Yeah, he's pretty awesome.” She smiles,  
Beth comes down, her make up looks just as ridiculous as Sophia's.  
“Maggie says we're not allowed to use her as a model, cos she's still trying to impress Glenn.” Beth says, “Sorry Sophia,”  
“That's ok.” Sophia says, “It was fun doing your hair, I've never done that before.”  
“I'm sorry girls.” I smile, “I'd offer to let you do mine but there's not much left to be styled. Maybe Miss Lori might let you do hers.”  
“Can we do your nails Miss Carol?” Beth says,  
“If you don't mind wasting your nail polish.” I smile, “But it will have to be after I've finished tea, otherwise you'll have to explain to everyone why they are going hungry.”  
The roar of a motorbike cuts through the kitchen and Sophia and I look out to see Daryl return.  
“Daryl!” Sophia yells running out of the house towards him. I see her stop a few meters in and realise that she might not want her running at him. He drives up and steps off the bike,  
“What was that Phia? I thought you were excited to see me for a moment there? Then you stopped.”  
I see her smile and look at the floor, “I didn't think you'd want me to bother you when you first got back.”  
“Who else would I want to see other than you and your mama hey?” He smiles, Sophia smiles and runs towards him, he holds his arms out to her and she jumps into them. He hugs her tight, spinning her round, “Oh I missed you Peach, I worry about you when I’m not with you.”  
“I missed you too Daryl. You aren't hurt right?”  
“Nah, I’m fine. But look how pretty you look? Do I need to ask what you've done today?”  
I see her stutter “I- I finished all of my chores first, I made sure everything was tidy and that...”  
“Peach, I wasn't nagging you.” He laughs, “I was just saying I can see what you've been up to, because you look fabulous. I mean you are wonderfully pretty anyway, but you look like a little model today.”  
“Thank you Daryl,” She smiles, “We were going to do Maggie's too, but she said we can't, and Mama doesn't have enough hair, but she said we can do her nails after tea.”  
“She did?” He smiles, showing my daughter such affection, “Well, can you help me carry in these in, and then maybe, I’ll let you do my nails whilst you wait?”  
“What?” I say out of the window, with a laugh, “You want a manicure?”  
“I want to make Sophia happy.” He says, as if it is the most obvious thing,  
“What if people laugh at you?” Sophia says,  
He laughs, “You met me Peach? I'd like to meet someone brave enough.”  
He enters the kitchen and kisses my cheek, “Good evening beautiful.”  
“Good evening.” I smile, “I'm glad you are back safe.”  
“I'll always return to my girls.”


End file.
